Tab for easy-opening container



Dec. 23, 1969 O...L.. aaawn 3 5,

TAB FOR EASY-0PENING CONTAINER Filed April 18, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 VII O. L. BROWN TAB FOR EASY-OPENING CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 18, 1968 Arman/(9y United States Patent 3,485,411 TAB FOR EASY-OPENING CONTAINER Omar L. Brown, Dayton, Ohio, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Ermal C. Fraze, Dayton, Ohio Filed Apr. 18, 1968, Ser. No. 722,348 Int. Cl. B65d 17/20 U.S. Cl. 220-54 18 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure describes a tab for use with easy-opening containers. The tab includes an attachment portion connectable to the easy-opening container and a tab body joined to the attachment portion. The tab has a piercing and shearing element formed at one end thereof for initiating rupture of the tear portion from the container Wall.

Background of the invention Front-opening tabs of the type employed with easyopening containers usually include a tab body and an attachment portion. The tab body may be pivotable relative to the attachment portion and have a rupturing portion at one end thereof adjacent the attachment portion and a lifting end adjacent the other end thereof. These tabs are used with easy-opening containers of the type which have a score line defining a removable tear portion thereon.

The attachment portion is secured to the tear portion with the rupturing portion of the tab overlying the score line. As the lifting end of the tab is raised or pivoted, the rupturing portion thereof is urged downwardly against a region of the tear portion adjacent the line of weakness to ultimately effect rupture of the line of weakness. The tab is then pulled outwardly to remove the tear portion from the container wall.

Tabs of this type are often used when the tear portion is relatively large as, for example, in containers of the full panel pull out type where the tear portion covers substantially all of the can end. The problem with tabs of this type is that considerable effort on the part of the user is required to initiate severance of the tear portion, i.e. considerable force must be applied to the tab, particularly for large tear portions, to initiate removal of the tear portion. As considerable force is applied to the tab, the tab must be made large and strong and this increases the cost of the tab.

In order to obtain tabs of suitable strength characteristics, some of these tabs are constructed of sheet steel rather than sheet aluminum. The use of steel is undesirable because the tooling for shaping the steel is more expensive and wears out much more rapidly than tooling which is used on sheet aluminum. Notwithstanding the added strength provided by utilizing large tabs or tabs constructed of steel, tabs of this type not infrequently fracture during the opening operation.

Summary of the invention The present invention overcomes these problems and provides a tab which initiates removal of the tear portion in response to the application of a relatively small force to the tab. The tab can, therefore, be relatively small and constructed of sheet aluminum to thereby reduce the cost of the tab.

A basic concept of this invention is to provide a tab of sheet material such as sheet aluminum which initiates severance of the tear portion, at least in part, with a piercing action. In addition, the tab applies a shearing force directly to the weakest portion of the contalner wall which is along the score line. This combination of 3,485, 11 1 Patented Dec. 23, 1969 piercing and shearing forces combine to materially facilitate initial severance of the tear portion from the remainder of the container wall. As rupture is facilitated, structural failure of the tab is much less likely to occur. I Typically in a front-opening tab, the attachment portron is surrounded by the tab body. The tab body is pivotable about a hinge adjacent the juncture of the attachment portion and tab body to urge the rupturing portion downwardly. As pivotal movement continues, the rupturing portion wipes across a radiaily extending region of the container wall. Thus, even if the rupturing portion where initially directly over the line of weakness, it wipes across a region of the container wall so that at the instant of rupture, the force is applied to the contained wall at an area spaced from the line of weakness. Furthermore, the user must overcome the force of friction be tween the rupturing portion and the can end during this wiping action. The present invention teaches that the force exerted by a tab on a container wall is most effective if (1) the force applied to the sheet metal at its weakest area, i.e., at the line of weakness, and (2) the force is continuously applied at the line of weakness and not permitted to move as the lifting end of the tab is raised.

According to the present invention, this can be conveniently accomplished by constructing the rupturing portion in the form of a relatively narrow finger. The finger is bendable and can interlock with the sheet material at the line of weakness. With this arangement, as the lifting end of the tab body is lifted, the finger moves downwardly, and abuts the wall of the groove in the sheet metal formed by the line of score and is retained at that point. As the tab body continues to be pivoted about the hinge line it tends to cause the finger to pivot therewith and wipe across a section of the container wall. However, as the finger is bendable and is engaging the wall of the groove formed by the line of score, it is retained with the result that continued pivoting of the tab body causes some bending of the finger to occur. This bending is geometrically necessary in order that the tab body can continue its pivotal movement about the hinge without causing the finger" to wipe across a region of the container wall. With this construction, the finger applies its downward shearing and puncturing force directly and continuously to the weakest portion of the container wall.

It is not broadly new to open an easy-opening container by means of a piercing element such as a rigid pointed element mounted on a wire opener. However, such prior art openers are difiicult and expensive to fabricate and are usually not of integral construction as the pointed element is oftentimes a separate member. With the present invention, the tab may be constructed entirely of sheet material and the piercing element or finger is formed integrally from a region of the sheet material of the tab. The sheet material may be aluminum and thus, the tab of this invention can be constructed according to conventional techniques common to the tab construction field. Furthermore, these prior art piercing elements are not bendable and would tend to Wipe across the container wall.

In order to concentrate the force applied by the finger, it is preferably relatively narrow. As the finger is a relatively narrow sheet material member, bending thereof does not impede the pivotal movement of the tab. Preferably, the finger should be substantially normal to the container wall when it applies force thereto.

To assure that the finger will engage and remain at the line of weakness during the pivotal movement of the tab body, the line of weakness may be widened slightly at the region which is to be engaged by the finger. This may be accomplished, for example, by coining a region of the score line to effectively widen the score line at such region. Another advantage of the coining feature is that it has been found that widening of the score line through such coining procedure further facilitates rupture of the sheet material therealong.

When a front-opening tab is used as described herein, the connecting wall for joining the tab body to the attachment portion is subjected to forces tending to deform such wall outwardly. According to the present invention, such wall is supported by the use of reinforcing curl portions which define the periphery of the tab and which engage the outer face of the connecting wall to support the wall. This materially strengthens the tab and helps prevent failure of the tab due to tearing.

This support of the connecting wall can be obtained without eliminating the piercing and shearing finger. According to one form of the invention, the curl portions extend toward the finger and terminate closely adjacent thereto. With this arrangement, the curl portions support or back up the outer regions of the connecting wall. According to another form of the invention, the curl portions are integrally joined to form a single curl portion which supports the connecting wall at least at a central region thereof, and if desired, over the entire width of the connecting wall. With the second form of the invention, the finger is formed from a region of the curl itself and is centrally positioned adjacent the connecting wall.

The invention, both as to its organization and method of operation together with further features and advantages thereof may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawing.

Brief description of the drawings FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an easy-opening container wall constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a further enlarged fragmentary sectional view also taken along line 22 of FIG. 1 and showing the front end of a tab and the adjacent portions of the container wall.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are sectional views similar to FIG. 3 illustrating the operation of the tab.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the front end of the tab with the tab inverted.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a portion of the container wall with the tab removed.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a second form of embodying the concepts of this invention.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along line 1010 of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of another form of easy opening container wall.

Description of the preferred embodiments Referring to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1 thereof, reference numeral 15 designates an easy-opening container having an easy-opening container wall or can end 17 aflixed thereto. The easy-opening container wall 17, in the embodiment illustrated, is a circular member constructed of sheet aluminum and has a peripheral attaching flange 19 for securing the container wall to a can body 21 (FIG. 2). A circular score line 23 concentric with the circular container wall 17 is formed in the container wall and defines a circular removable panel or tear portion 25. A tab 27 is attached to the panel 25 by suitable means such as a hollow rivet 29 formed integrally with the panel.

Although the easy-opening container wall 17 shown in FIG. 1 is of the full panel pullout-type, it will be readily appreciated that the concepts of this invention have applicability to front opening tabs generally and are not limited to full panel pull-out constructions. Similarly, the concepts of this invention are not restricted to the particular configuration of the tear portion and container wall shown in the illustrative embodiment.

The tab 27 is preferably entirely and integrally constructed from sheet material such as sheet aluminum. The tab includes a tab body 31 and an attachment portion 33 joined to the tab body adjacent the forward end thereof. The ta-b body 31 completely surrounds the attachment portion 33 and defines a relatively large opening 35 of ample size to receive a finger of a user. Although the tab 27 is preferably of open construction and of the type shown in FIG. 1, other configurations may be employed.

A marginal portion of the tab body 31 is turned downwardly and inwardly to form an outer reinforcing head or curl 37 which extends substantially completely around the tab body and reinforces the tab body against bending forces. The bead 37 extends along the opposite sides of the tab body 31 and terminates at the forward end of the tab adjacent the bendable finger 39 as best seen in FIG. 7. The other end of the tab body 31 defines a lifting end 40. A region of the tab around the opening 35 is bent downwardly and outwardly to form an inner reinforcing bead or curl 41 which extends for a major distance continuously around the opening 35 and terminates adjacent the attachment portion 33. The two beads 37 and 41 provide the tab with sufficient rigidity to resist the forces applied thereto without failure.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, the outer bead 41 terminates adjacent the attachment portion 33 and the material thereof is curved downwardly toward the container wall 17, to form a connecting wall 43 for joining the tab body 31 to the attachment portion 33. The sheet material of the tab 27 adjacent the juncture of the attachment portion 33 and the connecting wall 43 is sufficiently pliable to define a hinge for allowing pivotal movement of the tab body 31 relative to the attachment portion.

The attachment portion 33 is in the form of a small sheet metal attaching ear which projects into the opening 35. The attachment portion 33 has an aperture 45 therein for receiving the rivet 29 to permit securely fastening of the tab 27 to the panel 25. The attachment portion 33 may also have a peripheral region of the material thereof bent upwardly to form a peripheral reinforcing flange 47 which stiffens and materially strengthens the attachment portion. Such flange should terminate forwardly short of the hinge between the attachment portion 33 and the tab body 31 so as not to interfere with the pivotal movement of the tab body relative to the attachment portion.

When the lifting end 40 of the tab body 31 is raised, the finger 39 pivots downwardly about the hinge. When the finger 39 applies force to the container wall 17, a force is applied to the connecting wall 43 tending to force the latter outwardly away from the rivet 29. To reinforce the connecting wall 43, the outer bead 37 is curved toward the connecting wall 43 adjacent the ends of the wall 43 to support the wall. As best seen in FIG. 3, the connecting wall 43 has an outer surface 49 and the bead 39 terminates in a bead edge 51 which engages and supports the outer surface 49. As shown in FIG. 6, the bead 37 supports the connecting wall 43 on both sides of the finger 39 and the connecting wall 4-3 is unsupported by the bead 37 at the finger 39.

In the form shown in FIGS. 1-8, the bendable finger 39 is formed integrally with the remainder of the tab 27 and is a relatively narrow sheet metal element. In the embodiment illustrated, the finger 39 is formed by cutting away a portion of the outer bead 37. Thus, as shown in FIG. 6, the outer bead 37 terminates in two opposed bead ends 53 and 55 which lie closely adjacent, and on opposite sides of, the finger 39. The finger 39 has lateral edges 57 and 59 which are separated from the bead ends 53 and 55, respectively, by slits or cut lines. In addition, the bead 37 is bent toward the connecting Wall 43 to further separate a portion of the bead 37 from the finger 39 as best seen in FIGS. 3 and 6.

The tab 27 is attached to the panel 25 so that the tab overlies a portion of the panel and lies completely within a score line 23. Preferably, the tab 27 extends radially of the panel 25 and the finger 39 is directly above the score line 23. As best shown in FIG. 8, the score line 23 has a wide region 61 formed therein above which the finger 39 is positioned. To avoid fracturing of the sheet material, the wide region 61 should be formed first as by coining and then the can end can be scored to form the score line 23. Alternatively, the wide region 61 and the score line 23 can be formed simultaneously in which event the region 61 is a widened portion of the score line. The wide region 61 can be eliminated, if desired.

As shown in FIG. 3, the wide region 61 of the score line is in the form of a groove in the sheet material and the groove has a bottom surface 63 and a side surface 65. The wide region 61 is preferably sufficiently wide to facilitate an interlocking type of action between the finger 39 and the side surface 65. Furthermore, providing the wide region 61 permits the use of wider tolerances in attaching the tab 27 to the panel 25. The finger 39 is preferably a straight element that projects toward the region 61 of the score line 23 and extends downwardly beyond the lowermost surface of the beads 37 and 41.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate the operation of the tab 27. The user lifts the lifting end 40 of the tab 27 to thereby pivot the tab body 31 about the hinge and move the finger 39 downwardly into engagement with one or both of the surfaces 63 and 65 of the wide region 61 of the score line. Such engagement will occur after the tab body 31 has been pivoted through a few degrees such as about 5 to and serves to interlock the finger 39 and the region 61 to prevent the finger from wiping across the score line upon further lifting of the lifting end 40.

At the instant the finger 39 contacts the sheet material along the score line 23, the finger 39 begins to apply a force thereto. Because the finger 39 is relatively narrow, the force applied thereby is concentrated and at least to some extent tends to pierce or puncture the sheet material of the can end along the region 61. In addition, the finger 39 applies a shearing force to the sheet material of the region 61. Of course, the sheet material of the can end along the region 61 is of minimum strength.

FIG. 4 illustrates an intermediate position in which the tab body 31 is pivoted to an angle of about 25 At this time, the finger 39 exerts substantial force on the sheet material along the region 61. As the finger 39 is locked within the region 61, it may be bent slightly as shown in FIG. 4. Finally, when the tab body 31 is pivoted to the position shown in FIG. 5, in which the tab body is at an angle about 30, the finger 39 ruptures the sheet material along the region 61. During this pivotal movement of the tab body 31, the finger 39 may bend an additional amount. The panel 25 can be removed in conventional fashion by further pivoting the tab body 31 and then exerting an outward pulling force thereon. During the entire lifting operation, the connecting wall 43 is supported by the head 37. It should be understood that FIGS. 4 and 5 are intended to illustrate the basic operational concepts, i.e. the finger interlocks with the region 61 and bends as may be necessary to permit it to remain in the region 61 during lifting of the tab body 31 to thereby achieve a piercing and/or rupturing effect of the region 61, rather than to illustrate the precise location of each tab segment during operation of the tab. The precise location of each tab segment during operation thereof will depend on many factors such as the materials used, the depth of score, sheet material thicknesses, tab dimensions and orientation of the can end, etc.

FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate a tab 101 of modified construction, but in which there is embodied the concepts and teachings of this invention. The tab 101 is quite similar to the tab 27 in that the former is of open construction and includes a tab body 1.03 and an attachment portion 105 integrally joined to the tab body adjacent the forward end thereof. A marginal region of the tab body 103 is curved downwardly and inwardly to form an outer bead 107 which extends completely around the tab. The tab 101 has a relatively large opening 109 therein and a region of the tab surrounding the major portion of the opening 109 is curved downwardly and outwardly to form an inner reinforcing bead 111. The inner bead 111 terminates in end portions 113 and 115 which are adjacent the attachment portion 105, and from there on toward the attachment portion, the sheet material surrounding the opening 109 is in the form of downwardly extending flange portions 117 and 119.

At the attachment portion, the flange portions 117 and 119 are formed into a connecting wall 121 which serves to integrally join the tab body 103 to the attachment portion 105. The sheet material adjacent the juncture of the tab body 103 and the attachment portion 105 is sufficiently pliable to allow the tab body 103 to pivot relative to the attachment portion 105 as described herein in connection with FIGS. 1-8.

The attachment portion 105 has an aperture 123 therein for receiving a rivet (not shown) for attaching the tab 101 to a tear portion.

The outer bead 107 extends completely around the tab 101 and defines the outer periphery thereof. At the for- Ward end of the tab 101 a finger 125 is formed from some of the material of the outer bead 107. In the embodiment illustrated, the finger 125 is formed by cutting a segment from the bead 107 and bending it straight downwardly to form the finger. As with the embodiment of FIGS. 1-8, the outer bead 107 is bent at the forward end of the tab to support the connecting wall 121. However, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 9-10, the support provided by the bead 107 extends continuously across the connecting wall 121 and is not interrupted due to formation of the finger 125. That is, notwithstanding the use of some of the material of the bead 107 to form the finger 125, there remains sufficient material in the bead 107 immediately intermediate the finger and the connecting wall 121 to support the latter.

The bead 107 terminates in a bead edge 127 (FIG. 10) which engages an outer surface 129 of the connecting wall 121. This construction has the advantage of providing a piercing and shearing finger 125 and still supporting the connecting wall 121 over a major length thereof.

The finger 125 is a narrow sheet metal member and possesses all of the characteristics described above in connection with the finger 39 including the ability to interlock with a score line and then bend upon further pivotal movement of the tab body. Thus, the embodiment of FIGS. 9 and 10 operates in the same manner as the first described embodiment and the primary advantage of the embodiment of FIGS. 9l0 is that the connecting wall 121 is continuously supported over a relatively long length thereof.

FIG. 11 shows another form of easy-opening container wall constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention. In FIG. 11, a container wall 201 has a score line 203 formed therein defining a tear strip 205. The tear strip 205 is shaped to define a pouring opening in the container wall 201 when the tear strip is removed therefrom. A tab 207 is connected to the tear strip 205 by a rivet 209 formed integrally with the tear strip. The tab 207 has a bendable piercing and shearing finger 211. The tab 207 is constructed of sheet material and may be of the form illustrated in FIGS. 1-8 or in FIGS. 9 and 10.

By raising the lifting end of the tab 207, the finger 211 functions in the manner described in connection with FIGS. 1-10 to initiate severance of the tear portion 205 along the score line 203. The primary difference between the form shown in FIG. 11 and those illustrated in FIGS. 1-10 is that with the former, the can end is scored to form a pouring opening rather than a large panel. Thus, FIG. 11 illustrates how the tabs of the present invention can be utilized with easy-opening containers having pouring openings.

Although exemplary embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, many changes, modifications, and substitutions may be made by one having ordinary skill in the art without necessarily departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A tab of the type attachable to a wall of an easyopenjng container to initiate severance of a segment of said wall comprising:

a tab body constructed of sheet material with the sheet material of peripheral regions of the tab body being curled to form peripheral reinforcing curl portions on opposite sides of the tab body to stiffen the tab body;

an attachment portion constructed of sheet material and joined to the tab body adjacent one end thereof with the other end of said tab body serving as a lifting end, said attachment portion being attachable to the container wall;

each of said peripheral reinforcing curl portions extending toward said one end of said tab body and at least partially around said attachment portion;

a portion of the sheet material of said one end of said tab body being bent downwardly to form a piercing and stressing finger for applying a concentrated force to the container Wall upon moving of the lifting end of the tab body away from the container wall; and

said finger having lateral edges with said lateral edges being separated from said reinforcing curl portions.

2. A tab as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said lateral edges are separated from the adjacent reinforcing curl portion by a slit.

3. A tab as defined in claim 1 wherein the attachment portion is joined to the tab body by a connecting wall and said curl portions engage said connecting wall to support the latter.

4. A tab as defined in claim 1 wherein said curl portions extend toward said finger and terminate closely adjacent thereto.

5. A tab as defined in claim 1 wherein said curl ortions are joined at said one end of said tab body to form a single curl, said finger being formed from a region of the sheet material of said single curl.

6. A tab of the type attachable to a wall of an easyopening container wherein the wall has a line of weakness therein defining a segment at least partially removable therefrom, said tab comprising:

an attachment portion constructed of sheet material;

a tab body constructed of sheet material and circumscribing the attachment portion, the sheet material along peripheral regions of the tab body being curled to form peripheral reinforcing curl portions on opposite sides of the tab body to stiffen the tab body against bending;

said attachment portion being joined to the tab body adjacent one end thereof with the other end of the tab body forming a lifting end, said attachment portion being attachable to the container wall;

the sheet material at the juncture of the attachment portion and the tab body being sufliciently pliable to define hinge means for allowing said lifting end of the tab body to be moved away from the container wall to thereby permit pivoting of said tab body about said hinge means to move said one end of said tab toward the container wall;

a portion of he sheet material at said one end of said tab body being bent toward the container wall to form a relatively narrow bendable finger for applying concentrated piercing and shearing forces to the container wall upon pivotal movement of the lifting end of the tab away from the container wall, said finger having lateral edges; and

said reinforcing curl portions extending along said opposite sides of the tab toward said one end of the tab and being separated from said lateral edges of said finger.

7. A tab as defined in claim 6 wherein the attachment portion is integrally joined to the tab body by a connecting wall which extends upwardly from the attachment portion when the tab is mounted on the container wall and said curl portions engage the outer force of said connectin g wall to support the latter.

8. A tab as defined in claim 7 wherein said curl portions extend toward said finger and terminate closely adjacent thereto.

9. A tab as defined in claim 7 wherein said curl portions are integrally joined at said one end and support a central region of said connecting wall, said finger being formed from a region of the sheet material of said curl portions adjacent the central region of the connecting wall.

10. An easy-opening container wall comprising:

a line of weakness in said container wall defining a segment at least partially removable therefrom; a tab of sheet material including a tab body and an attachment portion;

said attachment portion being joined to said tab body adjacent one end thereof, the other end of said tab body defining a lifting end, said lifting end of said tab body being movable away from the container wall to move said one end of said tab body toward the container wall;

said tab body having means for stiffening the tab body against bending;

means for joining said attachment portion to said segment of said container wall with said tab overlying at least a portion of the segment and with said one end of said tab body being adjacent said line of weakness; and

a portion of the sheet material of said one end of said tab body being bent downwardly toward said line of weakness to form a narrow bendable finger for applying a concentrated piercing and rupturing force to the container wall, said finger being at least partially receivable within said line of weakness upon movement of said one end of said tab body toward the container wall to interlock therewith whereby upon continued movement of said one end of said tab body toward the container wall, the finger will bend to permit said finger to remain in engagement with the container wall along said line of weakness to continue to apply said piercing and rupturing force to said container Wall.

11. An easy-opening container wall comprising:

a line of weakness in said container Wall defining a segment at least partially removable therefrom;

a tab of sheet material including a tab body and an attachment portion;

said tab body at least substantially circumscribing said attachment portion and being joined to said attachment portion adjacent one end thereof with the other end of the tab body defining a lifting end;

the sheet material joining the attachment portion and the tab body being bendable to define hinge means for allowing said lifting end of the tab body to be moved away from the container wall to pivot said tab body about said hinge means to move said one end of said tab body toward the container wall; means for joining said attachment portion to said segment of said container wall with said tab overlying at least a portion. of the segment" and with said one end of said tab body being adjacent said line of weakness; and

a portion of the sheet material of said one end of said tab body being bent downwardly toward said line of weakness to form a narrow bendable finger for applying a concentrated piercing and rupturing force to the container wall, said finger being at least partially receivable within said line of weakness upon movement of said one end of said tab body toward the container wall to interlock therewith upon continued movement of said one end of the tab body toward the container wall, the finger will bend to permit said finger to remain in engagement with the container wall along said line of weakness to continue to apply said piercing and rupturing force to said container wall.

12. A combination as defined in claim 11 wherein said line of weakness includes a score line and a thinned region of the container wall along said score line to effectively widen said score line at said region and wherein said finger is engageable with said region.

13. An easy-opening container wall as defined in claim 11 wherein said tab body has a sloping wall of sheet material joined to said attachment portion and marginal regions of the tab body on opposite sides of said finger are bent inwardly into engagement with said sloping wall of said tab body to strengthen the latter.

14. A tab of the type attachable to a wall of an easyopening container to initiate severance of a segment of said wall comprising:

an attachment portion constructed of sheet material;

a relatively rigid tab body constructed of sheet material and joined to said attachment portion at one end thereof with said tab body at least substantially circumscribing said attachment portion, the other end of said tab body defining a lifting end, said lifting end of said tab body being movable away from the container wall to move said one end of said tab body toward the container Wall;

a portion of the sheet material at said one end of said tab body extending toward the container wall to form a relatively narrow bendable finger engageable with the container wall to apply a piercing and shearing force to the container wall upon movement of the lifting end of the tab away from the container wall; and

said attachment portion is integrally joined to said tab body by a connecting wall, the sheet material at said one end of said tab body being turned inwardly to form a curl engageable with a central portion of the connecting wall to support the latter, said finger being formed from a region of the sheet material of said curl adjacent said central portion of the connecting wall.

15. An easy-opening container wall comprising:

a line of weakness in said container wall defining a segment of the container wall at least partially removable therefrom;

a tab having a narrow bendable finger adjacent one end, the other end of said tab body defining a handle end;

means for attaching said tab to said segment with said bendable finger overlying a region of said line of weakness, said handle end of said tab being movable to force the bendable finger against said line of weakness to initiate severance thereof; and

said line of weakness being widened at said region whereby said bendable finger will engage said region upon movement of the handle end of the tab and will bend and remain in engagement with said region until the line of weakness is fractured to initiate severance of the said segment.

16. An easy-opening container wall as defined in claim 15 wherein said region of said line of weakness has a side surface and said region interlocks with the end of said bendable finger to retainsaid bendable finger at said region as the handle end of said tab is moved whereby the finger bends as the handle end of the tab is moved and the finger applies a concentrated rupturing force to said region.

17. An easy-opening container wall comprising:

a,line of weakness in the container wall defining a segment of the container wall at least partially removable therefrom;

a lever tab constructed of sheet material and having a bendable finger adjacent one end, the other end of said tab defining a lifting end, said tab having means for stiffennig the tab longitudinally;

means for attaching the tab to the segment with the bendable finger overlying a region of the line of weakness so that upon manipulation of said handle end of said tab the bendable finger forcibly engages the container wall at said region; and

said region defining a groove in the container wall, the end of said finger being interlockable with said groove upon said manipulation of said handle end of said tab whereby upon additional manipulation of said handle end of said tab said finger remains interlocked with said groove and bends to apply a continuous, concentrated force to the container wall at said region to initiate severance of said segment from said container wall.

18. A tab of the type attachable to a wall of an easyopening container wherein the wall has a line of weakness therein defining a tear portion at least partially removable from said wall, said tab comprising:

an attachment portion constructed of sheet material and attachable to the segment of the wall;

a relatively rigid lever portion constructed of sheet material and joined along a hinge line to said attachment portion closely adjacent one end of the lever portion, said lever portion at least partially circumscribing said attachment portion, the other end of said lever portion defining a lifting end, said lifting end of said lever portion being .movable away from the wall to pivot the lever portion about the hinge line and thereby move said one end of said lever portion toward the wall; and

a portion of the sheet material at said one end of said lever portion extending toward the container wall to 1 form a relatively narrow bendable finger engageable with the container wall to apply a piercing and shearing force to the container wall upon movement of the lifting end of the lever portion away from the wall.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,151,766 10/1964 Henchert 220-54 3,232,474 2/1966 Dunn 220-54 GEORGE T. HALL, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

